HOUSTON — As Broncos fans well remember, a first-round playoff bye didn’t work out so well last season.

The difference this season is that the Broncos need the break.

Last season, the Broncos finished with an 11-game winning streak, and the week off might have killed their momentum.

This season, the Broncos lost in Week 15 against San Diego and they might have lost star linebacker Von Miller in Week 16 to a significant knee injury. Already, the Broncos have lost defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, but there is hope the added week off will help safety Rahim Moore, defensive end Derek Wolfe and slot receiver Wes Welker return from their injuries.

“Anytime you can rest your body, it’s a good thing for you,” said Broncos guard Zane Beadles. “I don’t think people fully understand how long this season really is and how much it wears on you both physically and mentally. Being able to have that extra week is always a good thing. You can’t compare it to last year. It’s two totally different situations. I will say we’ll probably learn some from what happened last year and be better for it.”

Caught unaware. Eric Decker said he didn’t realize he had caught Peyton Manning’s record-tying 50th touchdown pass until he got back to the sideline.

Julius Thomas didn’t know he caught Manning’s record-breaking 51st touchdown pass until he dropped the ball and saw Decker nab it like it was a lost treasure.

“I did not know I caught 50, but then afterward, we were talking about it, so I knew the next one was 51,” Decker said. “So I was trying to steal it from Julius and hold it for ransom.”

Said Thomas: “I was like, ‘Why did Deck pick up the ball so fast?’ I’m not paying any attention, and I came back to the sideline and I’m sitting down on the bench and somebody said, ‘That was the one!’ “

Said Manning: “Julius, it wouldn’t have surprised me if he had handed it to some babe up in the stands and tried to get her number in exchange for the ball.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will ask for the ball to join Matt Prater’s cleats as mementos from the 2013 season. Prater kicked a record 64-yard field goal Dec. 8 against Tennessee.

Champ’s back. After his first game since Dec. 1 at Kansas City, cornerback Champ Bailey seemed more confident Sunday than he had been all season. Bailey played in a limited role, logging only one tackle, but he was pleased with the way he’s working himself back in.

“I feel good,” Bailey said. “I like the role I was playing. I didn’t play every snap, which is probably smart at this point.”

Before Sunday, Bailey had played in only three games: against Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Kansas City.

More rushing yards. After putting up only 18 rushing yards in their loss to San Diego, the Broncos knew they needed more from their running backs against the Texans. Offensive coordinator Adam Gase spoke last week about aiming for a more balanced attack, and — for the Broncos, at least — Sunday’s game was just that. Knowshon Moreno, Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman finished with a combined 114 yards rushing, although they didn’t have a touchdown.

“Everyone was asking why we weren’t running the ball,” safety Mike Adams said of the Broncos’ late-game drives. “I was like, ‘Yo, the record, baby, the record.’ … We were so happy for (Manning).”

Vallos concussed. Broncos backup center Steve Vallos suffered a concussion during a special-teams play in the first half and did not return.

Mike Klis was with The Denver Post from Jan. 1, 1998, before leaving in 2015 to join KUSA 9News. He covered the Rockies and Major League Baseball until the 2005 All-Star break, when he was asked to start covering the Broncos.

After watching Air Force kick the CU Buffaloes’ tail, not to mention their undefeated record, into the wild, blue yonder, here’s a legitimate question: How in the world is the Pac-12 recognized as a Power Five football conference?